The gangrape of a woman in Pakistan has caused major outrage after a police officer allegedly commented that the woman was to be blamed for the incident as she drove out at night.

According to reports, the victim left her house in Lahore along with her two children and was driving around town when her vehicle ran out of fuel at approximately 1:30 am. She apparently called a helpline for the highway police as well as a relative but before they could arrive, two men had reached the spot and broke the car's windows before dragging the woman and her children out to a field where they raped her. They also robbed her of her purse which contained cash, jewelry, and three ATM cards. Police officer, Umer Sheikh, who is investigating the case has taken 12 suspects into custody so far. However, a statement he made has caused outrage among people all over the world. He apparently blamed her for driving at night and also taking a 'wrong' route, saying she should have taken the GT Road to go to her house in Gujranwala. "I am shocked she, a mother of three, and the only driver late at night should have taken the GT (Grand Trunk) Road instead, which is densely populated," he reportedly said.

Speaking about the condemnable incident, Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz said, "The tragic rape incident on motorway is as traumatising and heart-rending for me as it is for the entire nation. Such incidents are indicative of a deeper malaise that warrant a national response so as to put an end to the curse that stems from a culture that encourages impunity." Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan mentioned that he had asked investigators for the "arrest and sentencing of those involved in the incident as soon as possible." He added, "Such brutality and bestiality cannot be allowed in any civilised society."